Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-09-21

"Did it nevertheless, said the
stranger turning on his heel.
Potts then met the Doctor, who was
joyously rubbing his hands.
"Guess the corners broken, Chica-
Co."
"Not il | know it,"
Everybody seems supplied with
guides all the same. have two my
self"
Potts hurried up to the Office. He
found that nineteen had been engaged
and that one was at his service. He
at once hired that one and said that
he would take the other nineteen as
soon as their day was out. Some had
been taken for several days, however,
and all he could do was to secure the
remainder of their time up to his own
limit of ten days.
Next morning we all went on our
several excursions. The Doctor got
back before 6 o'clock and at about
the time the diligence arrived from
Geneva. He exchanged fifteen spu-
rious guides for the real article, and
as the released guides went towards
the Office he advised each new conner
that guides were very scarce and that
they had better secure theirs at once.
At 6 o'clock Potts paid off his guides
again. One citizen of Switzerland
was to him very much the same as
another, and as long as Swiss peas
ant had an alpenstock in his hands
Potts seemed to believe that he was a
guide.
Next morning when j. Humphry
Potts saw all those who had come in
the diligence 60 off toward the gla-
ciers with guides, he was simply wild.
He now realized that the doctor was
on the other side of the market, and
that if this thing kept OH another day
his corner was gone. He went up TO
the Office and said that if any more
guides came in he wanted them, no
matter how many there were. They
insisted that in that case he would
have to deposit sufficient sum in ad-
vance to protect the Office from loss.
To use his own expression he put up
the necessary margin. When the
doctor heard this he concluded to 60
into the guide business himself.
There were only few genuine guides
in Potts employ, but those he got out
in the usual manner by substitute and
next evening when the diligences ar
rived he gave out that if guides could
not be had at the Office or at the reg
ular rates from Potts he would be
pleased to supply them at no advance
on the usual market price. This broke
the corner. Mr.. Potts, of Chicago,
went to the Office and gave up his
guides. They insisted that he should
pay for the remainder of the ten days.
This he refused to do and the boycott
was promptly applied to him. The
hotels refused to give him shelter and
he could not hire anything that would
take him out Of Chamoix. The near
est railway was at Martigny, almost a
days journey with two-horse team.
So Mr.. Potts had to come to time.
He paid up according to contract.
"Well, old man." said the genial
Doctor cordially, Speculation don't
seem to flourish as well in the Alps
as it does in Chicago :"
mo, it DON'T" said Potts sadly.
This country is to uncivilized. Now
has it done you any good to break the
corner? Have you made anything
out of it ?"
"Not cent" said the Doctor.
"Then why should you spend your
time and money in interfering in what
was none of your business?"
"Well, in the first place it was my
business when found I could not get
a guide except at double the ordinary
price. Secondly, l hate a monopoly.
Thirdly, when man sees a corner it
is only human nature that if he is not
in it he will try and break it, but my
fourth reason is the strongest of ALL"
And what might that be-" said
the Chicago man.
"I'm from st. Louis" replied the
Doctor.-LUKE SHARP, in Detroit
Free Press.